Report outlines ways to grow philanthropic giving

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson today welcomed a new report of the Cultural Philanthropy Taskforce, which makes six key recommendations to increase charitable giving to the cultural sector.

"The taskforce, chaired by Peter Biggs, spent fifteen months investigating best practice in philanthropy around the world, consulted within New Zealand with organisations and individuals, and drew on the extensive experience and expertise of the taskforce members to produce this excellent report," Mr Finlayson said. "I thank them for their efforts, their expertise and for the work they have produced."

The report, titled Growing the Pie, makes six recommendations across a range of areas including capability building for the cultural sector, greater recognition of donors and boosting the current tax incentive regime through gift aid and cultural gifting.

"The taskforce confirmed that the government has broadly established a favourable tax environment for charitable giving which includes a payroll giving scheme and the lifting of limits on tax credits for charitable donations made by individuals, companies and Maori authorities," Mr Finlayson said.

"The report recommends ways to get both the cultural and private sectors to step up which the government will now respond to."

"My brief to the taskforce was to explore whether there is, over the next five to ten years, new opportunities to encourage private investment in the arts in New Zealand, over and above - not instead of - government funding. Clearly there are."

The report's recommendations are to:

· develop a fundraising capability building initiative to mentor and advise cultural organisations on a one-to-one basis
· promote knowledge and awareness of the recently introduced tax incentives
· introduce Gift Aid to boost the return to institutions from private giving
· explore the workability of a cultural gifting scheme
· recognise and value the generosity of philanthropists
· reward with matched government funding cultural organisations that succeed in increasing their levels of income derived from private giving.

The taskforce is chaired by Peter Biggs, former chair of Creative New Zealand. The other members are Margaret Belich, AlastairCarruthers, Dr Robin Congreve, Dame Jenny Gibbs, Carolyn Henwood, Jim Hill and Dayle Mace.